Plant Sciences

Our research focuses on the molecular mechanisms through which plants respond to environmental changes, particularly in the areas of gene regulation, photosynthesis, and stress adaptation. One focus is on the function of chloroplasts and the role of transport proteins in ion transport regulation, as well as the interaction between plastid and nuclear genomes. In addition, we investigate cellular compartmentalization and the dynamic regulation of plant metabolic networks using systems biology, genetic, and microscopic methods.

Csicsely E, Oberender A, Georgiadou AS, Alz J, Kiel S, Gutsche N, Zachgo S, Grünert J, Klingl A, Top O, Frank W (2025) Identification and characterization of DICER-LIKE genes and their roles in Marchantia polymorpha development and salt stress response. Plant J 121: e17236. doi: 10.1111/tpj.17236.

Seydel C, Heß M, Schröder L, Klingl A, Nägele T (2025) Subcellular plant carbohydrate metabolism under elevated temperature. Plant Physiol 198: kiaf117. doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf117.

Watzlowik MT, Silberhorn E, Das S, Singhal R, Venugopal K, Holzinger S, Stokes B, Schadt E, Sollelis L, Bonnell VA, Gow M, Klingl A, Marti M, Llinás M, Meissner M, Längst G (2025) Plasmodium blood stage development requires the chromatin remodeller Snf2L. Nature 639: 1069-1075. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-08595-x.

Ostermeier M, Garibay-Hernández A, Holzer VJC, Schroda M, Nickelsen J (2024) Structure, biogenesis, and evolution of thylakoid membranes. Plant Cell 36: 4014-4035. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koae102.

Hou LY, Sommer F, Poeker L, Dziubek D, Schroda M, Geigenberger P (2024) The impact of light and thioredoxins on the plant thiol-disulfide proteome. Plant Physio 195: 1536-1560. doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad669.

Tang Q, Xu D, Lenzen B, Brachmann A, Yapa MM, Doroodian P, Schmitz-Linneweber C, Masuda T, Hua Z, Leister D, Kleine T (2024) GENOMES UNCOUPLED PROTEIN1 binds to plastid RNAs and promotes their maturation. Plant Commun 5: 101069. doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2024.101069

Penzler JF, Naranjo B, Walz S, Marino G, Kleine T, Leister D (2024) A pgr5 suppressor screen uncovers two distinct suppression mechanisms and links cytochrome b6f complex stability to PGR5. Plant Cell 36: 4245-4266. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koae098.

Kunz HH, Armbruster U, Mühlbauer S, de Vries J, Davis GA (2024), Chloroplast ion homeostasis – what do we know and where should we go? New Phytol 243:543-559

Knoblauch J, Waadt R, Cousins AB, Kunz HH (2024) Probing the in situ volumes of Arabidopsis leaf plastids using three-dimensional confocal and scanning electron microscopy. Plant J 117:332-341. doi: 10.1111/tpj.16554.

Leister D, Sharma A, Kerber N, Nägele T, Reiter B, Pasch V, Beeh S, Jahns P, Barbato R, Pribil M, Rühle T (2023) An ancient metabolite damage-repair system sustains photosynthesis in plants. Nat Commun 14: 3023. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38804-y.

Leister D (2023) Enhancing the light reactions of photosynthesis: Strategies, controversies, and perspectives. Mol Plant 16: 4-22. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.08.005. Epub 2022 Aug 22.

Howell AH, Völkner C, McGreevy P, Jensen KH, Waadt R, Gilroy S, Kunz HH, Peters WS, Knoblauch M (2023) Pavement cells distinguish touch from letting go. Nat Plants 9: 877-882. doi: 10.1038/s41477-023-01418-9

DeTar RA, Höhner R, Manavski N, Blackholm M, Meurer J, Kunz HH (2022) Loss of SALT OVERLY SENSITIVE 1 prevents virescence in chloroplast K+/H+ EFFLUX ANTIPORTER-deficient mutants. Plant Physiol 189: 1220-1225. doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac142.